Fuel oil system for internal-combustion engines



A. O. TESCH Aug. 17, 1954 FUEL OIL SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONENGINES Filed June 26. 1953 INVENTOR ALEXANDER O. TESCH Patented Aug.17, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUEL OIL SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES 6 Claims. 1

This invention appertains to a novel fuel system for internal combustionengines, and is an improvement over my prior Patent No. 2,400,664 issuedto me May 21, 1946.

One of the primary objects of my present invention is the provision ofmeans for vaporizing heavy hydrocarbons, such as kerosene, fuel oil andthe like, and to combine the same with water vapor or steam to produce,with air in the carburetor, a combustible mixture capable of successfuluse in internal combustion engines of the type now in common use,without forming any appreciable amount of carbon or other deposits.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide means for initiallyheating the fuel oil and water separately from the exhaust of the engineand then combining the vapor or steam from the water with the heatedfuel oil and thereafter raising the temperature of the mixture producedfrom the exhaust manifold prior to the introduction thereof into thecarburetor.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means forsuper-heating the water vapor or steam prior to the introduction thereofinto the heated fuel line.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of means,controlled by a switch operated thermostat for preheating the fuelelectrically upon the initial starting of the engine and prior to thewarming up of the exhaust manifold and pipe.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision ofautomatically controlling the amount of fuel flow from the bowl of thecarburetor to the fuel line according to the opening and closing of thethrottle valve.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision ofnovel heating rings or collars for the fuel and water incorporateddirectly in the exhaust manifold and the exhaust pipe, so as to insurethe obtaining of the maximum amount of heat from the products ofcombustion to insure the vaporizing of the fuel mixture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will behereinafter more specifically described and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

The figure is a diagrammatic view showing the principles of my systemfor using a heavy hydrocarbon fuel incorporated with an internalcombustion engine.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter S generally indicates myimproved fuel system for use with an internal combustion engine 0.

As the internal combustion engine can be of any well known type now inuse, the same will not be described in detail, but the same includes anengine block I having exhaust outlets 2, which communicate with thebranches 3 of an exhaust manifold 4. Leading from the exhaust manifold 4is an exhaust pipe 5. Forming a part of the fuel system S and. theengine C is a carburetor 6 including a bowl 1 into which initially flowsthe liquid fuel. Extending from the carburetor I and leading to theintake manifold (not shown) for the engine is the fuel charge intakepipe 8. The flow of the fuel mixture through the pipe 8 to the intakemanifold is controlled by the usual throttle valve 9. The throttle valve9 is opened and closed by means of an operating rod 10. The throttlevalve 9 is of the butterfly type and includes a rock shaft II whichcarries the valve, and in accordance with my invention the rock shaft Hhas secured thereto an operating cam H2. The purpose and operation ofthis cam will be more fully set forth.

Liquid fuel flows in the ordinary manner into the carburetor bowl Ithrough a supply pipe l3 which leads from a tank It. A float operatedneedle valve is provided for governing the flow of the fuel from thepipe l3 into the bowl. The bowl has communicating therewith a outletport 6 which communicates with a fuel delivery pipe [1. The flow of fuelthrough the port It is governed by a needle valve 18. This needle valveI8 is slidably supported by a part of the bowl I and is connected by astrap 19 with a lift rod 20 which is also preferably slidably carried bya part of the carburetor bowl. The lower end of the lift rod 20 hasrigidly secured thereto a right angularly extending lift arm 2| whichrests upon the cam l2. As the throttle valve 9 is opened, the cam raisesand lifts the rod 20 and the needle valve [8 moves therewith.Consequently, the needle valve 18 opens and closes with the opening andclosing movement of the throttle valve, and as the throttle valve openswide more fuel will flow from the bowl into the pipe ll. In accordancewith my invention, I inthrough the collar. The inner surface of thecollar or ring 22 can be provided with fins for the quick transmissionof heat from the exhaust to the walls of the chambers 23 and 214. Thechamber 23 constitutes means for preheating the fuel from the exhaustand the chamber 24 constitutes means for preheating water and, asbrought out in the objects of the specification, I propose to use steamin my fuel mixture. Adjacent to the engine C I arrange a tank 26 forWater and the tank is connected, by means of a pipe 2'! with the lowerend of a heater 28. The heater includes a casing 29 having arrangedcentrally therein and above the bottom wall thereof a heater chamber 30.The heater chamber 33 is connected by a tube or pipe 3i with the exhaustmanifold 4, so that hot exhaust gases will fill the heater housing 30and effectively raise the interior temperature of the casing 28, and asthe engine warms up the heater housing 30 becomes red hot. The amount ofwater flowing into the heater casing 29 is controlled by a floatoperated valve 32 and as the water in the heater casing rises and falls,the valve will be opened and closed, and in efiect the float operatedvalve maintains a constant level of water in the heater casing. Thewater in the heater casing flows by gravity into the chamber 24 of thering or collar 22 through a pine 33 and the water flowing around thechamber is turned into vapor and this vapor is led out of the ring by apipe 34 which extends into the heater casing 29. The pipe 34 terminatesin a downturned nipple 35 which is disposed directly above the housing39 so that the vapor will impinge upon the heated housing and thisserves as means for superheating or drying the generated steam. Thesteam rises to the top of the casing 29 and is drawn out through a pipe36. The means for preheating the fuel is as follows: The fuel conduitpipe ll leading from the bowl l is led from the casing, by means of apipe 33 to the chamber 23 of the ring or collar Where the fuel is heatedand vaporized. It is preferred to introduce the heated steam into thefuel line 33 just prior to the entrance of the fuel from the pipe 33into the chamber 23 and consequently, the steam conduit pipe 36 isconnected with the pipe 38.

The vaporized mixture is taken from the chamber 23 by a pipe 39, and themixture is now further heated and vaporized by means of a series ofhollow rings 49. There is a ring for each exhaust outlet 2 of the engineblock and the rings 40 are clamped against the engine block and aroundthe exhaust outlets 2 by means of the branches 3 of the exhaust manifold4. Each ring includes an interior annular heating chamber 4i and thechambers of the rings are connected by short lengths of tubes 2. Thefuel mixture conducting pipe 39 connects with the interior of one ringto and the opposite end ring 48 has communicating with its chamber 4! apipe 43 which leads into the fuel charge intake pipe 8. The pipeterminates in an outlet nozzle 44 adjacent to the throttle valve.

In operation of the fuel system, the steam and fuel is vaporized in thechamber 23 and is then further heated and vaporized in the rings Ail,and this vaporized mixture is introduced into the carburetor by thenozzle M. The mixture when combined with the air in the carburetor ishighly combustible and the steam effectively functions to reduce theformation of carbon deposits so that a. smooth running engine will behad.

If the engine is started on fuel oil and not on gasolene, it ispreferred to heat the fuel by an electric heating element until theengine has warmed up and the exhaust manifold and exhaust pipe becomehot. This is accomplished by placing an electric heating element 45 inthe casing 37 directly below the outlet of the pipe H. The electricheating element can be placed in circuit with an electric energy source,such as a storage battery 36. Obviously, fuel oil dropped on theelectric heating element 45 will become heated and vaporize and will bedrawn into the carburetor. At this particular time, no steam will besupplied to the fuel. Flow of current to the electric heating element 45is automatically cut off when the exhaust pipe reaches a predeterminedtemperature, and I accomplish this by means of a switch 4'! placed inthe length of one of the electric wires, which is in circuit with theelectric heating element 45 and the battery 46. One of the switch pointsof the switch i? is movable and is carried by the arm of a thermostat 28placed in close contact with the exhaust pipe 5. The thermostat l8 canbe of the bimetallic type if such should be preferred.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have providedmeans for effectively vaporizing heavy hydrocarbon fuel and combiningthe same with steam to permit the successful use of such fuel with aninternal combustion engine.

t is to be understood that the present invention can be modified so thatthe engine can he started on gasolene and thereafter switched to fueloil when the engine heats up. The control of the flow of the gasoleneand the fuel oil can be controlled by thermostats. This feature ofstarting the engine on gasolene and then using fuel oil after thewarming up of the engine has been broughtout in my original patentpreviously referred to.

If preferred, and in some instances, I may run a tube directly throughthe exhaust pipe or manifold to heat the fuel mixture and in thisinstance, I may eliminate the rings '48.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a fuel system for internal combustion engines of the typeincluding an engine block having exhaust outlets, an exhaust manifoldincluding branches for the exhaust outlets and an exhaust pipe, acarburetor having a fuel charge supply pipe, a fuel nozzle extendinginto said pipe, a tank for liquid fuel, a tank for water, a ringincorporated in the length of the exhaust pipe including separatechambers, means for supplying water to one chamber from the water tank,means for supplying fuel from the fuel tank to the other chamber, acasing, a heater housing heated from the exhaust manifold in saidcasing, means for leading water vapor from the first chamber of theheater housing against said heater casing, a tube leading from the upperend of said casing for supplying vapor to the other chamber, a series ofinterconnected rings incorporated between the branches of the exhaustpipe and the exhaust outlets and each including an interior chamber,means connecting the last mentioned chamber of the first mentioned ringwith one of the series of rings and means connecting the chamber ofanother of the series of rings with the nozzle.

2. In fuel system for internal combustion engines as defined in claim 1,and said carburetor including a throttle valve and means actuated fromthe throttle valve for controlling the flow of fuel to the firstmentioned ring.

3. In a fuel system for internal combustion engines, a carburetorprovided with a fuel charge outlet pipe, a nozzle for vaporized fuel insaid pipe, a tank for fuel, a tank for water, a ring adapted to beincorporated in the length of an exhaust pipe leading from the enginehaving separate interior chambers, means for supplying water from thewater tank to one chamber, means supplying fuel from the fuel tank ,tothe other chamber, means leading water vapor from the first chamber tothe second chamber and means leading the mixed vapor from the secondchamber to the nozzle, and means for super-heating the vapor from thefirst chamber prior to the introduction thereof into the second chamber.

4. In a fuel system for internal combustion engines as defined in claim3, and means for heating the mixture from the second chamber prior tothe supplying of the mixture to the nozzle.

5. In a fuel system for internal combustion engines, a carburetorprovided with a fuel charge outlet pipe, a nozzle for vaporized fuel insaid pipe, a tank for fuel, a tank for water, a ring adapted to beincorporated in the length of an exhaust pipe leading from the enginehaving separate interior chambers, means for supplying water from thewater tank to one chamber, means supplying fuel from the fuel tank tothe other chamber, means leading water vapor from the first chamber tothe second chamber, means leading the mixed vapor from the secondchamher to the nozzle, and means for electrically heating the fuel priorto the warming up of the engine.

6. In a fuel system for internal combustion engines, a carburetorprovided with a fuel charge outlet pipe, a nozzle for vaporized fuel insaid pipe, a tank for fuel, a tank for Water, a ring adapted to beincorporated in the length of an exhaust pipe leading from the enginehaving separate interior chambers, means for supplying water from thewater tank to one chamber, means supplying fuel from the fuel tank tothe other chamber, means leading water vapor from the first chamber tothe second chamber, means leading the mixed vapor from the secondchamber to the nozzle, and thermostatically controlled electric heatingmeans for the fuel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,288,640 Mauck Dec. 24, 1918 1,547,985 Wein July 28, 19252,400,664 Tesch May 21, 1946

